August 10, 1974

Vice Pres Ford is sworn in as Pres; urges US to 'bind up internal wounds of Watergate and urges US to pray for ex-Pres Nixon'

 

White House press sec J F terHorst says it is not likely that Pres Ford would grant pardon to former Pres Nixon, press briefing; Nixon's prospects for avoiding criminal prosecution thus remain in doubt; office of Watergate prosecutor says decision has not yet been made; Nixon lost whatever immunity he may have hade when he resigned; terHorst says Nixon did not try to pardon himself before leaving office, nor did he grant pardons to anyone else; some Repub Cong members urge that Nixon not be prosecuted, saying that he has already suffered enough, but this sentiment is not unanimous; Nixon is potentially liable to criminal prosecution in several areas other than Watergate affair and tax matters; Fed grand jury that named him unindicted co-conspirator in conspiracy to obstruct justice by participating in Watergate cover-up is still in existence and conceivably could indict Nixon at any time; theoretically Nixon could escape prosecution either by Pres pardon or by decision of Watergate prosecution; as practical matter, neither Ford nor Leon Jaworski is likey to do so without some kind of Cong consensus; Sens H D Scott, M Mansfield, H W Cannon, ACLU, Jaworski spokesman John Barker comment (L)

The third and last person charged with the 1972 murder of Wolfgang Friedmann, Columbia University law professor, pleaded guilty to robbery last night. The others had earlier pleaded guilty to robbery. As a result, none of those who have admitted robbing the professor will be convicted of [murdering him. Page 33.

Pres Nixon, his face wet with tears, bids emotional farewell to remnants of his broken Adm, urging its members to be proud of their record in govt and warning them against bitterness, self-pity and revenge; flies to San Clemente, Calif, with Mrs Nixon, his daughter and son-in-law Patricia and Edward F Cox and press sec Ronald L Ziegler; Nixon's resignation is delivered to office of State Sec H A Kissinger at 11:35 AM; 5,000 people greet ex-Pres Nixon upon his arrival in Calif; Nixon at his farewell speaks of White House, faithfulness and loyalty of his subordinates, of his parents and of vagaries of human existence; states his pride in Cabinet he apptd, staff he named and conceded that 'we have done some things wrong in this Adm, and the top man always takes the responsibilty--and I have never ducked it'; tells his staff he wishes he were wealthy man so he could compensate them monetarily for their services; quotes passage from Pres T Roosevelt's diary; Julie and David Eisenhower remain in Washington; Pres-designate and Mrs Ford see Nixons to helicopter; illus of Nixon with Julie; of Vice Pres and Mrs Ford and Eisenhowers; of Nixon waving from helicopter (L)